Hank Williams


I’ve never been much of a Hank Williams Jr. fan.  Sure, he had a couple of tunes that gave me happy feet, but that was about it.  Don’t get me wrong—I have no grief with his music, and I like lots of Country & Western—just not a big Hank fan, OK?

Not that much into the current NFL either.  There was a time, but for me, that time is past.  The last time I actually looked forward to and watched a Monday Night Football game, it was still on ABC.  Actually, I don’t watch much ABC anymore either.  Not that I’ve got anything against ABC either…..The last time I actually remember tuning in to a Monday Night Football game, the hosts were Howard Cosell, Frank Gifford, and Dandy Don.  Now THAT was a broadcast team.

What brings up this remembrance is this: 
ESPN now runs (or owns—whatever) Monday Night Football.  Hank Williams has the signature tune for Monday Night Football—you know the one.  It contains the phrase “Are you ready for some football?!!”.  Yep, that one.  It’s been part of Monday Night Football since the 1980’s, give or take.  So, if you like the NFL, and Monday Night Football, then you’re familiar with their signature tune.

Then, Hank Williams Jr., did the unthinkable and exercised his free speech rights.  Right again—he criticized Obama in public.  Not just in public, but while being interviewed on Fox News. Oops.

ESPN, whose first sporting event broadcast in the 1970’s was a professional slow-pitch softball game, dropped the hammer immediately.  Hank and the signature song are gone.

Lesson learned—Free Speech and High Definition don’t mix. 

A final note here—just because your name is ESPN, is doesn’t mean you’ve got ESP.

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